Nonskid attachment for vehicle wheels



June 9, 1931- o. M. PETERS 9, 54

NONSKID ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLE WHEELS Filed May 21,1930

25 tory.

Patented June 9, 1931 v U D mm osoAn M. rnrnnsior WAYNESBQRO, PENNSYLVANIA NoNsKn) AT'trAcHMENEr on VEHICLE WHEELS v Application fiIed May '21, 1930; serial No. 454,382.

This invention relates 'to non-skid cross chains of the type illustrated in my Patent Number 1,697,821; dated January 1, 1929, in which each link is composed of a relatively flat body having an arcuate flange at one end, and having a headed shank at the. op posite end, the shank of each link extending through an opening in the body of an ad acent link and adapted to engage the flange 1 on the latter. A chain composed entirely of such links has ample flexibility when placed upon a tire which'is inflated to a rela 'tively high pressure; but with'balloon t1res which carry a relatively low air pressure, an

obstruction upon the road presses the central links of the chain upwardly until they are substantially in line with one another,

and at that point heavy stresses come upon the shanks of the central links. This requires making the links of the chain of heavy stock, to prevent breakage of the central links, whereas for the purpose of traction and wear a chain having links made of lighter stock would be quite as satisfac- To overcome lessen the cost of manufacture, I have made the side sections of the chains out of links. of the kind referred'to above and I connect these together by a central section which permits of upward or inward flexibility when passing over obstacles on the road."

The central section of the chain is the part which'is subject to the hardest usage, but if made veryheavy, it is soon damaged or de stroyed by the repeated impact against hard pavements as the vehicle wheel revolves. The central section of the chain in the pres- 4 ent invention is therefore composed of links which are relatively light in weight, which have ample bearing on the roadway, and which are connected by a relatively light metal loop, the latter being protected against contact with hard pavements by the non-skid flanges of adjacent links.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an automobile, wheel having one of my improved chains thereon; I

this diiiiculty and in order to Fig. 2 is asideelevation ofthe chain with its. securing band Fig. 8 is a plan vlew of the central portion of the chain, showing the side which fits a against the tire; V j 7 Fig. 4 is a section on the line i-d ofFig,

' Fig. 5 is asection on the'line 5- 5 of Fig. r

g perspective view ofone. of the side links of the chain; and, l Fig. 7 is a similar view of one of the central links. r 4 Referring to Figs. 1 to 4,-inclusive, of the drawings, A indicates cross chains composed of side sections a and a and a central sec tion a The side sections are alike, each composed of a suitable 'number'of non-skid links, 1,2, 3, and 4, like the links shown in Fig. 6, and each section'having also a link composed of a. Inetal'strip by which it may be attached to a side. chain or a bandffor securing the cross chains to a wheel. One oi? these attaching fllin'ksg5 is shown with i an eye towhich a buckle ,6. is connected, and

the other link7' is pr'ovi clediwith a hooked end to receive a metaljring 8 on the end of a flexible band 9, which" band is threaded through the buckle i Each non-skid link in the side sections comprises a flat body portion 10 havingone end rounded-and having an arcuate flange 11, projecting from said rounded .end and a shank 12,- having ahead 13, projectsfrom the op'posite end of'the body portion. In thebooly portion, adjacent-the flange, is {an opening" 14',- and'a slot 15,1adapted to bdclose'd by a tongue 16, inc tersects the opening 14'. Thejarr-angement is such: that the head ofone link" may be passed..throughthe opening and when the I tongue 16 is pressed "downwardly the head of one link becomes interlocked with the adjacentlink. I These non-skid links inthe side sections are substantially the sameas ,the links. in the cross ,chai'nsshown in'the aforesaid patent.

TA chain composed entirely of links such as "5 that shown in Fig. 6,1 when arranged-upon a tire; is flexible when subjected to pressure from theftireat'the rear sides ofth'elinks,

but when subjected to pressure from a stone or other obstacle on the road which would bring the links into line with one another, the links reach their limit of inward flexibility and hence a severe stress is put upon 'the shanks of the central links, and it is gether by two non-skid links 17 and a loop 18, which constitute the central section of the cross chain. Each link 17, as shown in Fig. 7 comprises a flatbody portion 10, having an arcuate flange 1? at one end, and an opening 1 1 adjacent the flange for receiving the headed shank of a link in the link, said central links. being formed at their opposed ends with transverse slots and side flanges, and a flat metal loop extending through said slots, said side flanges projecting beyond the loop to protect the lat ter fromwear on the roadway.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

OSCAR M. PETERS.

side section. A transverse slot 1'7 is formed in the bodyportion near the end which is opposite the arcuate flange, andflanges 17" project from the sides of the body portion at the latter end. The loop 18 is composed of a flat strip of metal which is extended through the openings 17 in the adjacent links 17 and is bent into the form of an oblong loop. In applying this loop 18, its ends are passed through the openings from the sides of the links which bear against the tire, and the ends of the loop are brought together on the sides which face the roadway, as indicated at 18. As shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, the flanges .17" project from the body considerably beyond the loop 18 and thereby protect it from coming in contact with the hard roadways. The loop link 18 is arranged with its meeting ends at the sides of the links nearest the roadway so that when the flanges '17 become worn down to 45 such an extent that the link 18 .willengage the roadwayand wear, the latter link will hold the links 17 together, even when the meeting ends of the link 18 are practically worn ofi. If the link 18 were reversely arranged its central part would wear through, after the wearing of the flanges 17 and the link 18 would then fall apart. The flanges 11 and the flanges 17 afl'ord wide non-skid bearing surfaces for the links at the central portions of the chains where the greatest I weight and greatest tractioneflort are applied.

What I claim is:

A non-skid cross chain comprising two side sections each composed of a plurality of similar links, the links in the side sections being reversely arranged, each of said links comprising a relatively flat bodyv portion having an opening therethrough andhaving a fiangei atone end and .a headed shank at 

